Every week, Bec and Asa speak with local pastors who share wisdom for everyday life. This week, Pastor Geoff Woodward from Metro Church, addressed strange and mysterious quotes from the bible.
Where the Tree Falls
Referencing Ecclesiastes 11 verse 3, “If a tree falls to the north or to the south, in the place where it falls, there it shall lie,” Geoff said it was one of the first verses that left him puzzled, but as he reflected on its meaning, he began to understand the message behind it.
“I get what it was saying, the way you lean is the way you’ll fall when problems or pressure comes,” he continued, “All of us have got predispositions in our lives. Some of them we inherited, some of them have become a result of our nurture, the environments we grew up in. I’ve met people who’ve had problem after problem… after a while, it builds within them… so they go through life thinking about their lack… their inadequacies, rather than going, but what am I good at?”
Deeper Digging
He then highlighted that he is yet to meet a person who is not good at something, and that the world can measure things intellectually or by academic achievement, but oftentimes, the value of a person is deeper and due to a specific gifting and it is up to them to find out what they are great at. Pastor Geoff posed the question: “What are the dispositions in my life that I might want to change?” He listed examples such as people who crumble under pressure and perhaps it is an opportunity to lean in a different direction.
Adjust as you Grow
He used his rosebush at home as an analogy for growth and redirecting, how he intentionally goes to straighten it so that it can grow the way it is supposed to. The same is true for people. Parents can also help to realign their children who operate under certain predispositions.
The Lean Determines the Fall
For some of us, the way we lean could be a belief or a disposition we have about ourselves. Pastor Geoff noted that this could be a result of peer pressure, which many of us can succumb to, whether we admit it or not. He argued that this is an opportunity for reflection.
“The things I was saying or agreeing with, that’s not who I want to be. And after a while we start going, I better choose my environment a bit better.”
Choose the Environment
Ultimately, Pastor Geoff empowered us to change the environments we find ourselves in. We are all capable of understanding our lean and we can use that to benefit from our surroundings. He implored us that it is never too late to adjust, reflect on the conversations we are having and remove ourselves from spaces we have outgrown. There are opportunities for change every single day. The lean does not have to determine the fall.
You can listen to Pastor Geoff’s full chat with Bec & Asa below.